 Alumni Spotlight: Scott AnastasiaMotivated to Serve Molly Mulqueen MOSAIC, Winter 2008
Scott Anastasia has felt called to ministry for much of his life. He started simply enough, by volunteering in his parish. But over time, Scott felt called to serve in other ways and other venues, each time committing to ministry at a deeper level and earning the credentials to do the job well.
Along the way, Scott obtained a certification in pastoral ministry, a master's degree and a Michigan license in social work, and a Master's in Pastoral Studies from Sacred Heart (2004). Professional ministry has become his life's work. For the past six months, Scott has been the full-time pastoral associate at St. Joseph Parish in Trenton, Michigan.
"A pastoral associate, in many ways, acts as an assistant to the pastor without being directly involved in sacramental things," Scott explains. "I use my social work skills in this job every single day. I am responsible for social ministry with all of the different peace and justice activities and outreach to the poor."
As a former hospice social worker, Scott is qualified to do counseling at St. Joseph, all of which he considers "just another way to be helpful."
Like so many Sacred Heart alumni, Scott considers his time at the seminary life-altering.
"Two things happened at Sacred Heart for me. I was exposed to the power and the beauty of Sacred Scripture, and I was introduced to the vision of Christian Initiation that has transformed the Church," Scott recalls. "Gaining that vision has profoundly changed me."
Scott has been an RCIA coordinator for twenty-three years. He sees this program as vital to the spirituality of every parish.
"RCIA is more about the people in the Church than the people who want to enter the Church. If we aren't doing good things as a parish, we cannot say, 'come with us and do what we do,'" Scott says.
"RCIA should be a ministry of invitation and mentoring. We need to mentor people to teach them how to be a Christian." But mentors also grow in their faith and their knowledge of Church teachings as they work with candidates.
"The instruction in RCIA is Lectionary-based—it follows along as the Church pulls us through the liturgical year," Scott says. "We as a Church have to develop a Lectionary understanding. We started a program at St. Joseph called, 'Have You Read Your Sunday Scriptures?' Through this program, RCIA is transforming the parish."
Scott has high praise for the parishioners at St. Joseph and their dedication to service.
"People at St. Joseph have a strong sense that they should be involved in ministry. I had about seventeen people come to my office in my first weeks at this job to introduce themselves and tell me what they did at the parish. I couldn't do what I do here without the help of so many volunteers."
According to Scott, this charism of generosity trickles down from the parish pastor, Fr. Steve Wertanen.
"The ministry of the other professionals depends on how they can share ministry with the pastor. I couldn't do what I do if the pastor did not support and back me."
Scott has a lot of support for his next venture in ministry, too. He and his wife, Rachel (they have three children), began the family formation for the permanent diaconate this past August. He hopes to be ordained a deacon in 2010.
"God is calling everyone—some to volunteer, some to professional ministry. I completed the MAPS degree and now that call is continuing with the diaconate," Scott explains.
"The truth is, God is always inviting us closer to himself."
Molly Mulqueen is a freelance Catholic journalist who writes from Houston, Texas
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